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19 Dec 2002 : Column 986W—continued
Immigration
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls were received by the immigration reporting line; how many prosecutions resulted; and what the cost was of the service during the last 12 months for which figures are available. [87996]
Beverley Hughes: The trial of the confidential hotline ran from May to July 2002. A full evaluation of this trial has now taken place and following consultation recommendations are about to be put to Home Office Ministers. I am therefore unable to give further details at this time.
Once Ministers have had the opportunity to review the findings I will write again to the hon. Member.
Local Authority Finance
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was granted from each source of support within his Department to (a) Westminster City Council and (b) the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, outside the revenue support grant settlement, in each year since 1997. [85827]
Beverley Hughes: The information is given in the table. The grants included are those paid solely to the councils except in the case of Drug Action Teams, the Crime Reduction Programme and the Partnership Development Fund. In those cases the council is a member of a partnership and funding is allocated to one ormore of the partners, for the benefit of the partnership as a whole.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 987W
| Grant paid and year | Kensington and Chelsea | Westminster |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | ||
| Grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 | 739,615 | 1,363,059 |
| Make A Difference | 55,000 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | ||
| Grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966(21) | 758,845 | 1,398,498 |
| Make A Difference | 30,000 | 0 |
| Youth Justice Pilots | 11,250 | 17,000 |
| 1999–2000 | ||
| Crime Reduction Programme and Partnership Development Fund | 176,582 | (22)384,149 |
| Make A Difference | 20,000 | 0 |
| Youth Justice Pilots | 38,930 | 53,500 |
| Drug Action Teams: | ||
| Development Grant | 35,782 | 0 |
| Adult and Family Asylum Seekers | 7,790,560 | 10,192,480 |
| 2000–01 | ||
| Drug Action Teams: | ||
| Development Grant | 35,782 | 37,484 |
| Communities Against Drugs | 0 | 0 |
| Crime Reduction Programme and Partnership Development Fund | 177,000 | 1 384,144 |
| Adult and Family Asylum Seekers and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | 12,960,608 | (24)15,629,840 |
| Referral Order Pilots | 62,000 | 62,000 |
| 2001–02 | ||
| Drug Action Teams: | ||
| Development Grant | 35,260 | 37,484 |
| Communities Against Drugs | 5,656 | (25)0 |
| Crime Reduction Programme and Partnership Development Fund | 41,883 | 1 2,671,851 |
| Adult and Family Asylum Seekers and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | 10,025,493 | (26)12,620,222 |
| Referral Order Pilots | 62,000 | 44,198 |
| Communities Against Drugs | 199,400 | 277,800 |
| Small Retailers in Deprived Areas | (27)10,499 | 0 |
(21) The Ethnic Minorities and Travellers Achievement Grant, that replaced section 11grant at the end of 1998–99, is administered by the Department for Education and Employment.
(22) These figures had not been previously available.
1 This includes the total grant for the Targeted Police Initiative Operation Lilac that was paid to both Westminster and Camden
(23) The figures in the PQ of 10 January 2002 were pre-audit figures and these are post audit figures.
(24) Westminster did not take up their allocation in 2001–02 but have in 2002–03.
(25) These figures were not mentioned in the reply of 10 January 2002 because they were not available.
(26) This money was spent after the PQ of 10 January 2002.
Local Volunteer Development Organisations
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide funding for local volunteer development agencies to assist these organisations to register as an umbrella body to use the Criminal Records Bureau. [87249]
Hilary Benn: Since announcing, in February 2001, that higher level disclosure checks would be issued free of charge to volunteers, we have received representations from voluntary organisations requesting additional funding to meet their associated administrative costs. We have considered these representations very carefully but we are not persuaded that it would be appropriate for additional funding to be made available.
We are in discussions with the voluntary and community sectors to explore a range of access arrangements for using the disclosure service which might meet the needs of the organisations concerned in the most appropriate and cost effective manner.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 988W
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of parliamentary written answers from his Department in the last session consisted of a promise to write to an hon. Member. [83784]
Beverley Hughes: The Home Office was asked 6,714 parliamentary written questions last session. Of these, 203, or three per cent. were given an XI will write" reply.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parliamentary written questions last session were responded to within (a) a week, (b) two weeks and (c) three weeks. [83785]
Beverley Hughes: The Home Office was asked 6,714 parliamentary written questions last session. Of these, 2,613 were responded to within a week, 1,903 were answered within two weeks and 601 were answered within three weeks. We recognise that our performance in answering parliamentary questions is not as good as
19 Dec 2002 : Column 989W
it should be, and we are working closely with directorates and its business change and IT partners to improve the situation.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) parliamentary questions and (b) letters from hon. Members in Session 2001–02 remain unanswered, broken down by those which are (i) one month old, (ii) two months old, (iii) three months old, (iv) four months old and (v) over six months old. [84804]
Beverley Hughes: [holding answer 3 December 2002]: The total number of letters received from hon. Members in the last session (2001—2002) was 26,769. The number that remain unanswered as at 6 December is 2,704.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Total received | 26,769 |
| Total unanswered | 2,704 |
| Less than one month old | 641 |
| One month old | 415 |
| Two months old | 222 |
| Three months old | 210 |
| Four months old | 229 |
| Five months old | 177 |
| Six months old | 810 |
The Home Office receives a large amount of correspondence from hon. Members. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and his ministerial team attach the highest importance to the speed and quality of replies to ministerial correspondence, but we recognise that further work is needed to improve the current levels of performance. A number of important initiatives within the Department have helped drive up performance and we are committed to continuing and extending this work. A new computer-based correspondence tracking system will be introduced shortly which will radically change the way we handle letters and will help us produce more timely responses.
Most of the delays occur when responding to MPs' letters in relation to immigration cases, Whilst there is no doubt that the current performance is unacceptable, in many cases when a letter is received regarding an immigration case, it is necessary to locate the relevant file and get it to the person responding to the letter. The fact that cases are dealt with in various parts of the country adds to the difficulty. However, I have instigated further measures to resolve the backlog.
The Cabinet Office publishes annual reports to Parliament, setting out the volume of Members' correspondence received by departments. The report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May. Copies of previous reports are available in the Library.
In accordance with the normal procedure, all outstanding parliamentary questions from the last session were answered before the session ended. Where a substantive answer was not available, honourable Members will receive a letter giving a full answer shortly, if they have not done so yet. A copy of all such letters will be placed in the Library.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 990W
Police
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were within the City of London and Metropolitan Police force areas, broken down by London borough (a) at the most recent time for which figures are available, (b) in May 1997 based on the old boundaries and (c) in May 1997 based on the new boundaries. [87095]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 16 December 2002]: Information on the number of Metropolitan Police officers in each London Borough for May 1997 is not available. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided data, set out in the table, on divisional strength on 31 December 1997 and 31 March 2002. The current London borough divisional structure did not exist in 1997. The figures in the table are those for the previous smaller divisions aggregated into their new borough divisions.
The effects of the boundary changes on 1 April 2000 were incorporated into the police funding formula in 2000–01 and the overall transfer was in terms of financial resources, not of officers.
I am advised by the Commissioner that around 470 MPS officers were seconded to the three boundary change forces on 1 April 2000 to give them time to recruit their own officers to police the former MPS areas now in these counties. These officers returned to the MPS over the next two years. There are now no MPS officers on secondment to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey as a result of the boundary changes of 1 April 2000.
As it is for police authorities and chief officers of police to decide how resources are utilised, it is not possible to show what the strength for each London borough would have been in 1997 had the current territorial division structure been in place. Divisional strength in 1997 would have reflected operational priorities at the time. A sensible comparison between 1997 and 2002 cannot be made.
Information about police strength in the City of London Police's two territorial divisions has been provided by the Commissioner of the City of London Police (Mr. James Hart QPM). He is unable to provide information about divisional police strength in 1997. The City of London Police was unaffected by the boundary changes on 1 April 2000.
Police officers in the territorial divisions of both forces are, of course, supported by police officers in other operational roles, such as traffic, Serious Crime Group, Police Support Units and dogs and mounted sections. There are other officers in specialist squads such as fraud investigation and anti- terrorism duties.
(27) These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.
(28) Total force strength is taken from data collected from the forces by Home Office Research, Development and Statistical Group
Note:
Figures are full-time equivalents.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 991W
| City of London Police Territorial Divisions | Divisional Strength | Divisional Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Snow Hill | Not available | 207.3 |
| Bishopsgate | Not available | 194.9 |
| Total force strength | (29)859 | (29)764 |
(29) Total force strength is taken from data collected from the forces by Home Office Research, Development and Statistical Group.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the change in police (a) pay and (b) pension costs to be met by police authorities between 2002–03 and 2003–04. [87360]
Mr. Denham: It is for each police authority to estimate its projected changes in pay and pensions costs each year.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the whole-time equivalent police officer establishment was for (a) 1992, (b) 1997, (c) 2000 and (d) 2002, in each London borough, giving the percentage and actual variations in each case. [85829]
Mr. Denham: The information has been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The Metropolitan police is unable to provide establishments for each London borough in 1992, 1997 and 2000 as the current London borough divisional arrangement was only introduced after the boundary changes of 1 April 2000 with Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. The figures shown are therefore the aggregate strength of the old divisions that now fall within the new London borough Divisions for 31 December in each of those years.
The effects of the Metropolitan police boundary changes on 1 April 2000 were incorporated into the police funding formula and the overall transfer between
19 Dec 2002 : Column 992W
the forces was in terms of financial resources, not of officers. It is for police authorities and Chief Constables to decide how resources are utilised.
I am advised by the Commissioner that around 470 MPS officers were seconded to the three boundary change forces on 1 April 2000 to give them time to recruit their own officers to police the former MPS areas now in these counties. These officers returned to the MPS over the next two years. There are now no MPS officers on secondment to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey as a result of the boundary changes of 1 April 2000.
Since 2001 each London borough has been provided with a Budgeted Strength (establishment), which is set by the Commissioner at the start of the financial year, and which the division aims to achieve by the end of the financial year. These borough establishments can be subject to change in the light of changes in circumstances.
The total strength of the Metropolitan police at 31 March 2002 was 26,223 officers, 1,345 more than in March 2001. At the same date the Metropolitan police employed 10,459 civilian support staff, 419 more than in March 2001.
| Number of police officers as at 31 December | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| London borough division | 1992 | 1997 | 2000 |
| City of Westminster | 1,906 | 1,697 | 1,580 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 632 | 609 | 557 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 541 | 542 | 517 |
| Camden | 722 | 697 | 671 |
| Islington | 547 | 549 | 554 |
| Harrow | 272 | 289 | 295 |
| Brent | 624 | 613 | 606 |
| Barnet | 759 | 706 | 517 |
| Ealing | 620 | 627 | 611 |
| Hillingdon | 454 | 398 | 376 |
| Haringey | 562 | 527 | 533 |
| Hackney | 611 | 677 | 673 |
| Tower Hamlets | 669 | 568 | 548 |
| Waltham Forest | 462 | 464 | 453 |
| Redbridge | 520 | 497 | 390 |
| Havering | 366 | 334 | 320 |
| Newham | 570 | 590 | 583 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 286 | 300 | 278 |
| Enfield | 532 | 550 | 478 |
| Southwark | 817 | 861 | 801 |
| Lewisham | 594 | 610 | 584 |
| Bromley | 473 | 464 | 440 |
| Greenwich | 545 | 612 | 586 |
| Bexley | 277 | 282 | 310 |
| Croydon | 598 | 601 | 549 |
| Sutton | 374 | 405 | 254 |
| Lambeth | 980 | 917 | 875 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 298 | 283 | 260 |
| Hounslow | 641 | 457 | 411 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 375 | 367 | 256 |
| Merton | 291 | 293 | 290 |
| Wandsworth | 672 | 596 | 555 |
| Total | 18,589 | 17,982 | 16,712 |
| Heathrow Airport(30) | 442 | 362 | 304 |
| Divisional total | 19,031 | 18,344 | 17,016 |
(30) These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.
Note:
Figures are full-time equivalents.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 993W
| Variation and percentage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London borough division | Police budgeted strength(31) | Actual police numbers at 31 March 2002(31) | Difference | Percentage |
| City of Westminster | 1,642 | 1,544.0 | -98.0 | -5.97 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 577 | 541.2 | -35.8 | -6.21 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 539 | 515.1 | -23.9 | -4.43 |
| Camden | 699 | 701.0 | +2.0 | +0.3 |
| Islington | 584 | 564.1 | -19.9 | -3.41 |
| Harrow | 311 | 288.9 | -22.1 | -7.12 |
| Brent | 637 | 584.5 | -52.5 | -8.24 |
| Barnet | 542 | 515.5 | -26.5 | -4.89 |
| Ealing | 656 | 638.2 | -17.8 | -2.71 |
| Hillingdon | 395 | 410.2 | +15.2 | +3.84 |
| Haringey | 562 | 560.0 | -2.0 | -0.35 |
| Hackney | 708 | 647.4 | -60.6 | -8.56 |
| Tower Hamlets | 578 | 559.4 | -18.6 | -3.22 |
| Waltham Forest | 474 | 468.1 | -5.9 | -1.24 |
| Redbridge | 414 | 398.6 | -15.4 | -3.73 |
| Havering | 334 | 319.4 | -14.6 | -4.37 |
| Newham | 616 | 608.4 | -7.6 | -1.24 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 294 | 298.6 | +4.6 | +1.57 |
| Enfield | 515 | 491.0 | -24.0 | -4.65 |
| Southwark | 839 | 805.3 | -33.7 | -4.02 |
| Lewisham | 612 | 598.6 | -13.4 | -2.19 |
| Bromley | 458 | 431.7 | -26.3 | -5.75 |
| Greenwich | 613 | 574.2 | -38.8 | -6.33 |
| Bexley | 328 | 320.8 | -7.2 | -2.18 |
| Croydon | 595 | 591.0 | -4.0 | -0.68 |
| Sutton | 270 | 257.0 | -13 | -4.82 |
| Lambeth | 923 | 874.1 | -48.9 | -5.29 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 274 | 277.0 | +3 | +1.09 |
| Hounslow | 435 | 436.3 | +1.3 | +0.29 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 272 | 266.9 | -5.1 | -1.87 |
| Merton | 303 | 283.7 | -19.3 | -6.38 |
| Wandsworth | 586 | 562.2 | -23.8 | -4.06 |
| Total | 17,585 | 16,932.2 | -652.8 | -3.71 |
| Heathrow Airport(32) | 301 | 302.6 | +1.6 | +0.53 |
| Divisional total | 17,886 | 17,234.8 | -651.2 | -3.64 |
(31) Figures are full-time equivalents.
(32) These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.
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